20 December 2011

Last night,the Rock School took care of all the musicians and music fans, by keeping them warm on a cold Friday, with tunes starting from local to international all time hits.

The Jam session presented by Mitrovica Rock School

The jam session was held at Okarina Pub, where a lot of people came and played along with us.It was a nice evening where nobody got stressed or held back,new musicians got their chance to show their abilities and everyone was simply enjoying the night by singing, playing or just listening and dancing, where random people just grabbed the mic and started singing like real pros.

7 December 2011

These days at the Rock School we have a lot of new young students who want to play drums and we were ready to welcome them and do everything so they can progress really fast and start playing in bends.

Our drum teachers started to use some new programs so kids can learn synchronise drumming and in that way feel the rhythm of their future band members.

Here is the great video where you can see a part of the young drummers training.

15 November 2011

Mitrovica Rock School students are preparing for anew gig. Every student has to be involved, so this is going to be the first gig for most of them.

Some of us has already had participate Skopje Summer School and for the first time experienced what it is like to be on stage and have your own gig.

But this will be different because we are going to play in front of friends and bunch of familiar people.

Bands keep practicing daily, preparing at least two songs each. My band named Cor (Latin word for heart) prepared two easy songs, easy because we are all beginners, and soon we are going to start working on the third. Not bad, right? :)

We are all nervously expecting that special day and we are very looking forward to it.I will convey you impressions after the gig, till then rock on!

7 November 2011

I know you all love parties… don’t you? The surprise parties with cake, everyone running around excited and organizing everything to be perfect. And the best part is the surprised look on the face of person who is honored at a celebration. As you all know, Milos, the CBM project manager and coordinator of Rock School's North branch, has moved to Netherlands so we gave him the good-bye surprise party that he deserves.

Everyone was at the Mitrovica Rock School at the specific time and prepared everything for big event.

There was a tasteful cake, guess which shape??? A bass guitar shaped cake, with little fireworks on it.

Milos was thrilled, and surprised also. The look on his face says it all. We are musicians without borders so there was live music, a jam session with students and professors together.

And after a while of partying we watched a video where everyone said a few words of goodbye to our dear Milos. But the party didn’t stop there, we just moved to Soho and continued.

Return of Shahbaz played their last gig louder than ever, it was beautiful to witness and more beautiful to listen, you could really feel the vibes. You can see, Tony is actually smiling on this photo.

Milos has moved and we hope he will visit us very soon but we know that he will always have a special place in our lives, he helped a lot of students and recognized their talent along with the other professors at the Mitrovica Rock School.

31 October 2011

New thing about Mitrovica Rock School is our Studio. Now we have fully equipped studio for recording and sound engineering. You now don't have to search for faraway studios, you got everything here in Mitrovica. If you have a band and if you want to record one song or a whole album feel free to call and ask about details. Also for all of you who want to become a studio technician or engineer our door is open.

For now two bands have recorded at Mitrovica Rock School Studio:

OMNIBUSI

Band started to play at 2007 and their name "Soho" was later changed to "Omnibusi". All the band members were musicians long before band "Omnibusi" started to play together.They have recorded two albums:- Omnibusi - Soho in 2007- Omnibusi - Proci ce 2011

24 October 2011

Although it is not necessary to know music theory to be a good musician, it is good and really helpful to know it. So, Ivana Popovic is a professor of music theory and singing in the north branch of the Mitrovica Rock School. In her classes we learn how to read and sing notes, to distinguish between the scales, to recognize tones by ear, which help us play our instruments correctly. Also, we have a lot of fun on those classes, because not everyone of us is a good singer. :)

I am a member of Rock school for about six months, and it brought me not only new experiences, but my knowledge in the area of music is expanded, and I met some new friends, with whom I hang out mostly in the theory classes.

We can use our instruments and voices and we learn through playing and fun. So I am very glad to see a lot of children coming to Rock School, because they have what to learn there, through playing classes and theory lessons.

I wanted to give a little attention to her classes, even though they are not the main reason why students join Rock School. If someone doesn't pass theory exams, he cannot pass on the next level even if he is a good player. That is how they are important, so I think that Ivana deserves to be mentioned.

10 October 2011

Dafina was born and raised in Mitrovica. Since September 2011, she is part of the Mitrovica Rock School staff as the administrator and coordinator for the South branch.

She received her bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Law in Pristina in 2009. She's not a musician, but she is the lead singer in her air band in her spare time... :p

This is not her first job, for she has had a lot of jobs and involvement in different organisations, but so far it's the best of them!

She enjoys being around outgoing and fun people as those of the Rock School staff and students, and also going to concerts and listening to music of all kinds, and this is what makes her job so special.

3 October 2011

The Mitrovica Rock School is gaining an international reputation. Help make us famous, and promote your own band while you’re at it!

“The Loudest School Ever!”

You think people can’t hear us?Well, you’re wrong. Since we started counting less than a year ago, the Rock School blog has had over 10,000 hits!

The Rock Schoolwould like you, our students, to write blog reports on concerts and anything else of interest to the Rock School. If approved, your article will be published on this blog.

Your article:- Should come with at least one good photo (videos uploaded to YouTube can also be used)- Should have a title and a topic- Should promote the Rock School’s activities (in some cases, an article may also be about your own band or your personal music activities, but only when it’s BIG news. In that case, you should link it to the Rock School.)- Should be in English- Should be checked for spelling- Should be submitted to and approved by trainee project manager Nikola athopsy.org@gmail.com.Nikola may suggest edits to your blog before approving to for publication.The best articles will be published on the blog.

Examples of blog reports:- announcements of concerts (at least two days before the concert)- reports on concerts (no later than three days after the concert)- announcements of participation in festivals, big concerts, etc. (and reports)- students’ participation in TV and other competitions- the Rock School’s participation in TV-shows- sponsorships (instruments donated, sponsorships of events)- reports on Rock Academy training weeks- reports on Summer Schools- general reports about the Rock School- and any other creative ideas you can come up with!

Mitrovica has always been a center for the rock music in the region. We want to make sure the world knows!

Who views our blog?Click to see who's been checking us out over the past few days.

8 September 2011

As you see on 21st of August we took of from Mitrovica heading for Skopje full of energy, and ready to rock. We met our friends from Rock Academy and started one of the most exciting weeks ever. There were some familiar faces and some new but after short introduction in the hotel we all knew we will get along.

Busy days

The 24 students from Mitrovica and some from Struga were split in 4 bands and one special this year the A team. We had no time to lose so the figuring out songs and band names started immediately. Tomorrow was the new day with new plans and things to do.

Every day we practiced two times in a day and free time we spent on useful workshops. You could learn everything you wanted with smiling Shanna , with Rolf the guitar master, marketing with Stayf, bass workshops with Sparkle, or if you are into recording Jos could definitely help.

Collecting energy for tomorrow

On Wednesday we got some time for recreation and swimming at the hotel with pool where we spent a night over with beautiful music, food, and fun…and since we were not sleepy we jumped into pool for some night bath.

New Day

In the morning after breakfast we rushed back at rehearsal space and got back on work fully rested. Thursday was the day for final touch before the dress rehearsal, all the small missing things were added and the bands were ready for tomorrow’s concert.

So that day has arrived and everyone was excited, you could feel it. Running through hotel getting dressed, transferring instruments, posting flyers…We also got diplomas for participating and cool red chairs, that will be so useful later on.At the concert we rocked!

THE Rock Day

We showed that there are so many great musicians in our schools, and a lot of them had their first gig ever but you couldn’t see that really because they were all so great! Everyone had fun, and how could it be otherwise when there was music involved.

We danced, jumped, sang and screamed, showing the whole world that it is all about fun and music. After all we are musicians without borders! Also we were honored to hear director of Rock Academy, Bertus Borgers, play along with his students and teachers of Mitrovica Rock School.

Return of the Shahbaz

After what we heard everyone’s favorite band Return of the Shahbaz who moved the audience and made best atmosphere ever playing their own songs for the first time. “The night was short and we needed the longest one…” that’s how I would describe the Friday night.

This could also refer for the Saturday morning when we were saying goodbye to our friends from RA. If there is something bad about the summer school that would be this part. We were all at the bus packed and ready for a cherry at the top of a cake, or simply told ready for Ohrid.

And since we are talking about cake, there was one too for dessert. We were staying in a beautiful hotel with swimming pool and a beach right across the street. So remember those cool red chairs we got, oh yeah we floated and enjoyed in the luxury they provide.

Rock Crew on the Beach

After the longest swimming in history we took a tour through the old city of Ohrid, and after we finish we crash a wedding at the hotel…long story short, we had most amazing time there.

Leaving

And when the Sunday came everyone was sad because we had to leave, and since we didn’t want to stop rocking we took the best out we could and played in the bus all the way back to Mitrovica.

And now here I am telling you the story about a fantastic week behind me and all of the participants of summer school. Exhausted but happy I am typing the last few words before I go to the bed and hibernate for a long time. Good night.

The name of the game is Marija Meckaroska.. hehe just kidding. This is me, I am 18 years old an I live to sing.

Another passion that I have, other than singing is medicine. I am an activist in a Civil Organization, cuz the peace is everything that we need. The most common places where you can find me are at cafe-bar Kalabalak, Red Cross, cafe-bar Jazz in Ohrid and at my concerts. :D

My hobbies are photography, cooking, swimming, singing and reading books. My favorite kind of musics is metal, rock, blues, jazz , funky, but classic alwayes relax me. I love working as an Internationas First Aid Trainer and finding time to spend with my friends.

SKOPJE SUMMER SCHOOLAt the Skopje Summer School, students and teachers of the Mitrovica Rock School come together in Skopje to form mixed bands. Together with trainers from the Fontys Rock Academy (Netherlands), they prepare for a major outdoor concert.

The Mitrovica Rock School serves as an incubator for pop and rock music talent in the region.

I was born in 29.09.1992 in Mitrovica. Primary school I finished in "Andon Zako Çajupi in Mitrovica, in same time I also finished Primary Music School "Tefta Tashko" in Mitrovica. Now I am in secondary music school "Tefta Tashko" in 13 class. I play piano and klarinet instruments. I have proud that I choose this direction.

Also I am in Rock School in Mitrovica, in the first band called "Sofra'm"
from Mitrovica, in this band I play piano.

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Southeast Europe's first rock music school

The Mitrovica Rock School restores rock music culture to the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica, Kosovo. Local musicians teach the city’s future rock stars. Throughout the region, the Mitrovica Rock School is known as an example of a new way to bridge cultural differences.